Nixie
Disclaimer: I, unfortunately, do not own any of the Numb3rs characters—they belong to someone else (I am SO jealous).
A/N: So sorry for the long delay! The holidays are so hectic and I've just been bouncing from place to place with no time to write! Here is a nice fluffy chapter for you all! R&R!
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Chapter Twelve: Everyday (Dave Matthews Band)The faded light blue paint of the bedroom made the room seem to resonate a twilight aura as the sun began to peek over the horizon, its light just barely gleaming from the small opening in the pale curtains.
Phoenix turned over in the bed and cracked open her eyes. She sat up suddenly when she realized that she couldn't hear the even breathing of her father or that he hadn't woken her up. Where am I? She thought curiously. She leaned over the edge of the bed. Yes, there was the polar bear nightlight her father had bought her plugged into the wall. Yes, there was her bag propped up against the wall beside the door. Where's daddy?
Nixie thought hard. The last thing she remembered was falling asleep in the car…after daddy had said they were in California…no wait…she remembered talking to him last night…
" …this is going to be your room. If you have a nightmare, I'll be upstairs, the second door on the right…ok? Ok, good. Goodnight sweetheart…"
That's right…we're home! The child thought gleefully. She quietly hopped out of bed, intent on exploring her new home. Before leaving the room she clicked off the nightlight and looked out the window at the pretty sunrise. Such pretty colors. Right, on to the hallway. She slipped through the door and padded softly down the hall, her light footfalls barely making any sound, muffled by the fuzzy socks she wore. She heard voices speaking softly in the living room. She slowed even further, frowning as she attempted to discern the topic of conversation.
"…I talked to Merrick last night on the phone…I have to go in to the office later on to talk to him more…in depth…about the situation."
That's daddy, Phoenix identified his voice and she tiptoed, then crawled to the edge of the doorframe, peeking around the edge. Her father sat across from two other men, one younger, and one older, who sat on the couch while daddy sat in the armchair. None of them were seated looking directly at the eavesdropping post of a certain curious six year old.
"Well we can watch Phoenix while you go talk to him," The older man spoke definitively. She watched as daddy nodded his head, running his fingers through his hair. They talked for a long time (or so it seemed) about several things, most of which Nixie didn't particularly understand. Like what did 'responsibility' mean and why did daddy suddenly have a lot more of it? And what was a 'workaholic' and why couldn't daddy be one anymore? Nixie decided it didn't really matter. It seemed to her that the older man was giving her daddy a very stern talking to. She stuck her head around the corner, clumsily pushing her tangled hair away from her face.
"Good Morning." She piped abruptly when she got up the courage. Three faces turned towards the doorway. The younger man smiled when daddy's face lit up in a grin and the older man looked happy too but it was a different kind of happy. A satisfied happy.
"Morning Sunshine, you're up early." Her father smiled and held out an arm. She lightly padded up to him and then, occasionally shooting cautious glances at the other two men, clambered and squirmed into daddy's lap. "Hey, careful there!" he said as she slipped a little before settling, thumping her head back into daddy's chest as he chuckled.
"Not all the way awake are we?" Daddy smiled, pulling some unruly hair away from her face. She shook her head. "Say hello to you Uncle Charlie and your Grandpa, hm?" She gave the two smiling men a shy wave.
"Hey, how about this…" Daddy started, leaning over to look directly at his daughter. "There something I have to go take care of, so you can stay here with Uncle Charlie and Grandpa, and they'll give you the grand tour of the house, help you unpack and all of that good stuff." Nixie looked up at him, frowning only slightly, "And I promise they don't bite…" he finished, and Nixie offered a tentative nod. "Ok, go get dressed," he gave her a slight push as she hopped from his lap, "and don't forget to brush your hair!" he called lightly as she walked towards the hall. She gave an absent nod as she rounded the corner, happily beginning to hum some meandering melody.
To her six-year-old mind, things couldn't be any better.
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For what seemed to be the thousandth time, Alan noted that his newly discovered granddaughter glanced longingly out the window.
It was well into the afternoon and all things considered, Alan thought it had been a good day. So far anyway. He had made Charlie walk the little girl around the house after Don had left and was rewarded with the perfect Kodak moment of his youngest son leading his niece around the house, holding her hand. The opportunity had been too perfect to ignore. The older man managed to dig out his camera and, as luck would have it, there was still some unused film inside. Alan had snuck around the corner and when Charlie was pointing out some pictures on the wall, holding Phoenix's hand, he had clicked a picture. His youngest gave his father a withering look as the child spun, surprised and curious at the bright flash.
The day had been filled with the girl's curious questions; she was constantly inquiring as to what Charlie was doing and when he started to explain, Alan could tell she didn't understand a word of the mathematical nonsense that came pouring out, yet every time the young mathematician decided to stop because it was too complicated for the six year old, Nixie insisted that he kept going. She seemed to thoroughly enjoy listening to the complex explanations (which were highly simplified in Charlie's mind) as her uncle rattled them off. For the life of him, Alan couldn't figure out why.
So now, when he noticed yet another furtive glance towards the window, he decided that a little sun is good for a growing child.
"Phoenix," the older man began firmly, causing the small girl to start and sit up in chair as his youngest son regarded his father with an amused and curious glance, " Why don't you go play outside, it's a nice day, just stay in the backyard and be careful not to fall in the koi pond…" Alan trailed off as the energetic child practically bolted from her chair and out he door, leaving her scrawled drawing abandoned on the table.
"She's a sweet little thing, now isn't she?" Alan spoke affectionately after a few moments.
"She's bright too…" Charlie chirped, "I think she might have understood a little…"
"Charlie, she didn't understand a word you said, I think she just wanted to see how long you could talk mathematical nonsense without repeating yourself."
"It's not 'mathematical nonsense.'" The young professor huffed.
"Well not to you, but I'm sure it was to her." Alan pointed out with a smile.
"Hey guys!" Both Alan and Charlie glanced towards the door, as Don's voice called out. He entered the kitchen looking worn, but content. His father and brother greeted him as he plopped down into the nearby chair. "I had to 'negotiate' with Merrick about how much time I can have off and how much I wanted off and blah blah blah…" Don waved his hand around in the air exasperatedly, "You'd think he was negotiating for hostages, I swear…anyway I'm going to take three months off, paid leave—I could have had more but…" Don shrugged, " I wasn't too keen on trying to talk Merrick into giving me more—I don't think I really need that much time off anyway."
"Three months?" Alan nodded appreciatively, "I didn't think you'd be able to get that much."
"Yeah, well…" Don shrugged again, "So where's Nixie?"
"Outside." Both Charlie and Alan answered simultaneously.
"You tell her to stay away from the koi pond?" Don spoke as he rose walking over to the window.
"You know Donnie, I did raise you two boys—I am not completely helpless," Alan's eldest paused at the corner of the table and gave his father an amused look.
"Well," the FBI agent began, "there is a slight difference between telling her to be careful to not fall in the pond and telling her to stay away from it altogether." Both his father and brother gave him a slightly perplexed look. "All I'm saying," Don continued, "Is that she's more likely to jump in than she it to fall in…she's gets curious about things…" He trailed off and then snapped his head towards the window as a loud splash was distinctly heard. Don gave his father an exasperated look, as Alan's face winced apologetically and Charlie's face contorted into a look of amused astonishment. The three men quickly walked outside and were greeted by the most interesting of scenes.
There, standing knee deep, completely soaked from head to toe, was Phoenix. Charlie tried in vain to muffle his laughter as he witnessed an exasperated and amused Don jog up to the pond as his daughter proudly held up the previously unnoticed koi fish squirming in her hands.
"Look daddy! I caught a fishy!" She proudly held up the fish in the air to Don who now stood at the edge of the pond, his hands on his hips.
"Wha-at is going on here?" A voice spoke from behind Charlie and his father. Behind them stood the three other agents on Don's team—Colby Granger, who had spoken, Megan Reeves and David Sinclair—all who were regarding the whole situation with a mixture of disbelief and amusement.
"Hey what are you guys doing here?" Alan asked as the three agents came and stood beside them.
"Well," Megan half-chuckled watching Don, " we came to say hello to Don and meet the new addition to the family—we were at the door when we heard you guys back here. Now, please explain to me why is that little girl in the pond?" Charlie's amused reply was cut off as they Don and Nixie began to talk, a conversation they could all clearly hear from their post on the porch.
"C'mon sweetie put the fish back in the water."
"Can I name him?"
"You can name all the fish in the pond if you want just put it down."
"Why? Can't I take him inside?"
"No, I'm afraid not kiddo—fish don't like being out of water—see how he's squirming? He's uncomfortable. Now put him back in the water…"
Sighing disappointedly the child placed the fish back in the water as Don tried to not be too exasperated at the snorts of muffled laughter behind him. He'd heard his fellow agents arrive just in time to witness the absurd scene.
"Daddy," Nixie spoke again as she waded over to the edge of the water, " Why are all the fishies hiding?"
"Well, imagine that some person fell through the ceiling of the house into the living room—wouldn't you want to hide too?" The child considered this before extending her arms out to her father. Sighing, he didn't hesitate to reach down and pick up the sopping wet child. He turned towards the house and gave the entire crew of observers a deprecating look as they all nearly collapsed in laughter at the child's final farewell to the 'fishies.'
"Goodbye fishies! Sorry I scared you all by coming through your ceiling!" She called over Don's shoulder. The FBI Agent turned father now stood before the group who's repressed grins and false expressions of seriousness betrayed their thoughts.
"What's a guy got to do to get a few towels?" The now damp Don said exasperated, yet every bit amused as the others.
His father gave a startled jump and moved quickly into the house, causing them to all burst into laughter once more, this time, Don included.
It was shaping up to be a great day.
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A/N: ok I was thinking about having another one or two more fluffy/bonding type chapters (any suggestions/ideas of stuff you guys would like to read would be nice—I may or may not use the ideas but then again I'm kinda stuck—I need something to get my brain going.) Anyway after those couple chapters then I was going to have an angsty situation that takes up X amount of chapters before having a fluffy conclusion. Anyway let me know what you think—constructive criticism welcome and appreciated.